(instrumental version)
I'd been flicking through the Kazumasa Oda（小田和正） singles at one of the major music shops in Tokyo; I'd already gotten "Little Tokyo" by him which I loved, but then I came across this other Oda single titled "Kimi ni Merry Xmas"(Merry Xmas to You) with a picture of this nighttime Xmas tree that you see above you. I bought it and took it home to give it a listen. It was a sad but beautiful ballad with a sound that was more reminiscent of New York City instead of Tokyo. I especially loved the bluesy saxophone in the middle; actually there were two versions of that sax solo, the second of which is heard in the above video.
(excerpt only)
"Kimi ni Merry Xmas" came out in December 1989 as Oda's 4th single, and peaked at No. 6 on the Oricon weeklies. This is also another one of my must-plays in December.
Not sure when but soulful crooner Bobby Caldwell also came up with a cover of the Oda Xmas classic titled simply, "Merry Xmas". He also does a masterful job, and the English lyrics pretty much tell the original meaning of the Japanese words in which a man is trying to make amends after a fight with his girlfriend on Xmas Eve.
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| Xmas in Shibuya |
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